Worlds ’11 Hangover: ‘The day after’ a huge race – all the adrenaline is used up, but your plane home isn’t until the afternoon. What’s to do? PEZ took a little walk around Copenhagen…

Well, it’s a good time to reflect on the racing and catch up on the Danish press; they’ve done Cav proud – and a pretty face always helps make the shutters snap.

Then have a quick look at the legendary Carlsberg brewery and it’s famous ‘Elephant Gates;’ but the whole site is a paradise if you like architecture.

The golden elixir is no longer brewed here, production moved to Fredericia in 2009 – the water quality there is better for producing the ‘best lager in the world.’

But what about the races ?

The Elite TT was a classic, no surprises on the podium but Wiggins was outstanding in second spot and endorsed his form with the gargantuan shift he put in at the coal face on Sunday for King Cav.

The interesting thing about the Elite TT were the names just outside the medals – the ‘coming men.’

Bobridge went out like a rocket, third fastest at the first two splits – he was U23 champion at this discipline, remember ?

Porte was back on last year’s fourth but we’ll see him on the podium soon – Fuglsang, Castroviejo, Phinney, Talansky and Sergent are all names for the future, too.

Look for Richie Porte to continue his rise to the top next year and beyond.

And spare a thought for Simone Zignoli of Albania, 17:43 down on Tony Martin and 13 kph slower.

The men’s road race – here’s the stat of the day, up until yesterday, the most riders to contest the finish of an Elite World road race championship was 46 in Lisbon in 2001 – Cav won out of a group of 82.

The riders make the race and yesterday’s was a cracker but the circuit could have been a little more selective – it was just too fast into the final climb.

And the weather didn’t help, it was warm, 16 degrees says the UCi finishing sheet and there was little wind – both factors contributing to a rapid average speed of 45.821 kph, Zolder was the fastest ever at 46.538 kph.

Vik reckons that Cav isn’t a great world champion; ‘how are you going to explain to your readers why the world champion is having to be pushed up that hill by his team mates ?’

Vik’s argument is that Cav is a ‘one trick pony,’ a pure sprinter.

But I don’t agree, the days of a man like Merckx who could win anything and everything from February ’til October are long gone.

We have cobbled classic specialists, Ardennes Classic specialists and more and more riders are prepared to build a whole season around 23 days in July.

Cav is in the Cipollini mould – a pure sprinter.

Cav and Cipollini…it’s hard not to draw comparisons.

The rainbow jersey lifted Cipo, he won Gent-Wevelgem from the break and went top 10 at Flanders.

Who’s to say that the same won’t happen with Cav ?

The facts are that the parcours were the same for everyone, the field was of the highest quality, GB took the race by the lapels from early in the day and up that grinding grade out of Virum Cavendish was simply too fast for everyone.

But let’s jump on a train, and continue our chat across town in Nyhavn (New Harbour) – once home to Hans Christian Andersen.

It was originally a canal back in 1671 but the sailing ship lined quay is now home to a row of colourful bars and restaurants.

It’s a great spot to eat the Danish speciality of Smorrebrod – open sandwiches – and sample some of that smooth Carlsberg.

That’s Feillu off to the right.

Whilst none of the medallists in the Elite road race were a shock, it was good to see Romain Feillu up in sixth spot for France.

The French were one of the surprises of the week, they executed a perfect ‘one-two’ in the U23 road race, played the junior road race to perfection and were in every move that mattered in the Elite race.

Roux was away most of the day and Voeckler animated the finale.

But enough Elite chat, let’s move on again and sample another Carlsberg, on the world’s longest pedestrian street, Strшget which links Nyhavn with the city centre.

The squares along its length are perfect spots to watch the world go by and talk about bike racing – and the Carlsberg doesn’t cost an arm and a leg, as it does in many places in Copenhagen.

It’s never enjoyable to whinge about cycling – unless you’re Viktor, of course – but the U23 and ladies’ races weren’t the best.

The parcours didn’t deter the Elites and we got fast, exciting racing; but the U23s and ladies served up lack lustre competitions with the circuit certainly not helping.

In both races there was a very limited number of riders who could win and only so many would have dedicated lead out roles – so why didn’t the non sprinters go for it ?

Clara Hughes.

Clara Hughes apart there are very few names which will have gone in journalists and talent scouts notebooks.

I was reading that the ladies are up in arms about the UCi refusing to set a minimum wage for girls in Continental teams – on Saturday’s showing you can’t blame the men in blazers for that decision.

But flight time draws near, walk up past the famous Tivoli Gardens amusement park to the station and line 5 to the airport.

One day I’ll get tired talking about bike racing; but it won’t be anytime soon.